


The Right Way to Go About it

by Bexchu



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Confessions, F/M, Fluff, Natsume meddling because he got bored of Tsumugi's pouting, and absolutely regretting it later because ewwww he's being all fluffy with his gf, love potions, see I don't just write things about Rei
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-13
Updated: 2018-05-13
Packaged: 2019-05-06 07:54:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14637426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bexchu/pseuds/Bexchu
Summary: Tsumugi has been far too depressed for Natsume's liking so he decides to brew him a love potion to help him sort out his mess of a love life.





	The Right Way to Go About it

**Author's Note:**

> My requests are still open over at swordboys-and-glampires.tumblr.com . If there's something you want to request to be posted on ao3 make sure to let me know you want it on ao3 and not just tumblr. Thanks for reading~

“I’ve had enough of you SULKING,” Tsumugi looked up from his book as Natsume slammed a flask filled with a strange, shimmering pink liquid on the table, “this will fix ALL of your PROBLEMS.” Nervously he poked at the glass, gulping imagining what horrible use this viscous concoction could possibly be for. “Don’t deny IT.” He backed up as Natsume got closer, this was unusual, bracing himself for a dull knock to the head.

“But- But I haven’t been sulking, Natsume-kun. Not at all. I wouldn’t want to drag down yours and Sora’s mood.” Natsume swiftly batted at his hair, a punishment for denial. He cowered, holding up a pillow to protect himself with but his friend had an alarming amount of strength when he was determined to prove a point. Accepting defeat was all he could do; once again he eyed the flask, wondering if perhaps Natsume had brought him poison to be rid of him once and for all.

By now Sora had joined them, attracted by the onesided argument the two of them were having. Before he could pick up Natsume’s “gift” for him it was removed from the table and thrust into Tsumugi’s hands and Natsume planted himself on the couch next to his senpai, along with a menacingly smug grin. “It’s a LOVE potion.”

He almost dropped it immediately; this was wrong, whatever Natsume had in his head for him was way off the mark and he could never ever use it on anybody. “I- I couldn’t. I don’t need- I... Who is this for?” Completely bewildered but for a reason he couldn’t place he clutched the bottle tight- maybe there was someone he had in mind, though it would still be immoral.

“_____-chan~. You want HER.”

Now this he couldn’t deny, the words came out but his face betrayed him; flushing the ugliest beetroot red, even the tips of his ears were burning beneath his hair. He really thought he had done enough to cover it up from everyone. Suddenly the pits of his stomach churned; did you know? The more he thought about it the more obvious it was that his crush was obvious and painfully so. All that blushing, the stuttering, any excuse to touch you, leaning to you every time you comforted him, finding reason to keep you behind in the library where he knew it’d be time for the two of you but then becoming too flustered to talk about anything normal; at least 3 times now he’d asked you for advice on an essay that everyone knew he already had in the bag.

“Don’t be so RUDE, Senpai. At least thank me. This is a very COMPLICATED recipe; one of mommy’s OWN,” Natsume chided him for his manners, any other day and this would have been funny seen as it was normally Tsumugi excusing his juniors behaviour. He gulped, daring not to look Natsume in the eye or else he’d give away his genuine desire to use this love potion. “So… How does it work? I’m not sure I want to use it but I must admit anything you make always intrigues me.”

Sora’s quiet protests were ignored as Natsume enthusiastically bragged about his potion, apparently the ultimate blend of magic and science. “First you must CONSUME some. Take a mouthful- You’re already in LOVE but this step in necessary… I won’t explain any MORE until you do.”

He wasn’t going to do this, not really, he couldn’t but Natsume only prompted him more, finding his darkest fear. “The only way anyone could FALL for you is like THIS.”

Again Sora whined next to them, saying it wasn’t right to do things this way and asserting that Tsumugi would never do something so sordid; that he was perfectly loveable without resorting to this. He felt he was letting the boy down but no amount of misgivings stopped him from taking a swig. The sickly sweet strawberry flavour made him salivate and gag, it was too much but somehow he thought there was a delicious tang to it. Beside him Natsume snorted, calling him a wuss for pulling a face like that.

“Just like THAT,” Natsume wiped his senpai’s lips with the embroidered handkerchief you had gifted to him- the one he refused to use in reluctance of ever getting it dirty. “You should use this MORE, she made it for YOU.” He paused, waiting for Tsumugi to relax back into his seat and then placed the hankie in his hand for emphasis. “Next step you need to have the one you love DRINK the rest. I know you’re a crafty PERVERT. You’ll find a WAY to do it. You’ll be connected by my spell, BOTH of you will ACKNOWLEDGE your true feelings and she will be OVERCOME with desire for you.”

“No,” Sora stopped them from going any further, already close to tears he was so distressed. “Sora won’t let you hurt Onee-chan. Shishio, Senpai. Sora will stop you, Sora wants to pour it away… please.”

Tsumugi felt horrible; he grabbed for Sora to cuddle him like he always did whenever the younger got upset but for once Sora evaded him, darting towards the door only to be caught by Natsume. This wasn’t the way to do things, but maybe what Natsume had said earlier was true; this was the only way he could get someone he adored so much to feel the same way about him- truth be told he’d be happy with only a fraction but the thought of you looking at him with loving eyes, hanging onto his every word, holding his arm as the two of you strolled through the gardens and chatted about everything and nothing… he wanted it.

“You should LEAVE, Senpai. You don’t have long before the effects WEAR off for you. If she drinks it too late and SEES another then you will LOSE her heart forever.”

He could almost feel the shame weighing him down, willing him to stop and comfort Sora but this was far too important, too rare and opportunity to give up. Confidence didn’t inspire him often but right now he felt like he couldn’t fail. He needed to ignore the mess he was leaving behind him.

“COME BACK.” Sora wailed and kicked, normally he went along with Natsume but this wasn’t something he would ever condone. Naughty didn’t even cover it, this was nasty.

“Sora, look at the TABLE.”

He opened his eyes, lip wobbling as he slowly calmed; the rest of the bottle was on the table still. Tsumugi hadn’t taken it with him and from Natsume’s grin he understood that he’d been tricked. He still wasn’t happy, huffing and crossing his arms; where had Senpai run off to then?

“There’s no such THING as a LOVE potion. Nothing in this WORLD could ever manufacture or CREATE such a thing. I thought you would be in LESSON right now… I am SORRY, I didn’t mean to UPSET you; my wonderful STUDENT.”

“It’s okay… Sora understands,” Natsume felt a wave of relief as Sora snuggled to him, nuzzling like he normally did, “but then… where is he going?”

“To CONFESS. I can’t force her to LOVE him but I can TORTURE him until he realises she likes him TOO.”

“Then why did Senpai need to drink some? Did Shishio just want to see him pull the silly face?”

“That was FUNNY… but there may have been a little SOMETHING in there to boost his CONFIDENCE.”

The two of them giggled, sauntering over to the games console set up on the other side of the room. Natsume knew today he wouldn’t be winning once; Sora forgave him but there was no winning against him when his emotions had been running so high- and neither of them mentioned that they knew the other was skipping class.

* * *

 

Tsumugi ran, something he rarely did even when ordered to in gym class, searching high and low for you- normally he found it pretty easy to find you, in fact you were the one who always seemed to find him. He considered standing still and hoping you’d do just that but he had too much energy to stop.

“Tsumugi-kun?”

He halted so fast he almost tripped on his own feet, wildly looking about to see where you had called him from; the window of the student council room. He could climb up there but before he could even begin you yelled at him to stay where he was, that you were coming to him.

Excellent the time alone with his thoughts that he needed- to confer what exactly he was going to say and what his escape route was going to be when you inevitably rejected him. He wasn’t even bothered about that thought, right now he just needed to get his feelings out, tell you the truth of what he’d considered, how much he regretted even letting himself think that way or else he’d never be able to face you again. It didn’t matter if you didn’t want him, so long as he tried then he’d be able to start sleeping at night again.

He was so lost in his own mind he didn’t even notice you were there until you were rubbing his arms, trying to get his attention. He liked it when you did this, you always knew how to make him feel better; though normally the way he blushed embarrassed him he didn’t care too much right now, he even uncrossed his arms so he could be the one holding onto you. A glance at your face and he was stunned by your pink cheeks; this wasn’t like the normal blush you spouted, this was much deeper. “Cute”.

“Huh?” He never could control his own mouth.

Tsumugi held onto you, refusing to let the moment slip by when he had so much to say but instead all he spewed was incoherent babbling about what had happened that afternoon. “Natsume. Love potion. Sora was upset. I’m sorry. I’d never really do that. I just… I like… you. Please love me.”

You stepped closer to him, his hands gracefully sliding from your arms to your waist and his breath shuddered. “It’s okay, Tsumugi-kun… calm down.” You began rubbing his back, he was in heaven. His head came to gently touch against yours, his breathing settled as you hugged him tighter, allowing him to rest on you.

You hadn’t said it back. That was okay. What he had been expecting more than anything else; he felt lucky to be allowed this type of comforting.

“Is he okay now?”

It took him a moment to understand but it clicked that he’d told you about Sora’s protest. “Yes, I should have stayed to explain… I’ll make him some muffins to make it up to him.”

“Oh? The cinnamon apple ones he really likes? Maybe we could do that together?”

His heart fluttered, how cruel life was to give him these opportunities he knew he would never turn down when he didn’t really deserve them. Every time you nuzzled him he swore he would faint; probably taking you down with him now that his arms had locked up.

“I would like tha-“

Your lips brushed where his neck met his body, right in the crook and his breathing went right back to being terribly erratic; darting from deep and shaking to shallowly rocking his chest. Again you did it, this time more forceful, moving further up to his jaw line and he could only conclude that this was completely intentional on your part. Didn’t you know what would happen if you carried on kissing him in such a way? There wouldn’t be a chance for you to escape his affections ever again, he’d refuse to let you go if you felt even a slither of emotion for him.

“S-stop… Not if you don’t mean it. Please. I can’t… I couldn’t stand it.” He hated the words but they needed to be said. His body didn’t agree with him either as he still maintained his hold on you, not even considering the option of letting go and putting space between you. Being kissed like this made him feel pampered and a part of him wouldn’t care if this was a very strange and intimate form of platonic affection. The apple didn’t fall far from the tree; he knew his heart was every bit as weak as his mothers.

His heart sank when you pulled away, once again faced with your blushing. “Tsumugi… I thought it had always been obvious?” Now it was his turn to be confused as you hid your face against his chest, refusing to look him in the eye as you mumbled about how you’d had a killer crush on him since you met way back at the beginning of the year.

“Why do you think I always want to be around you? Why I’m always with Switch? In the library? I even considered trying to join the handicrafts club but you know how scary Itsuki-senpai can be.”

He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. First of all he was the one who had fallen head over heels the moment he met you and secondly he’d seen the outfits you’d made for some of the other units, usually accompanied by a certain level of jealousy that you’d never worked on outfits for Switch, and you had more than enough talent to join the club. He had no idea why but it was the second objection that came out first, he even offered his services as a tutor.

“And this is why I can’t get you out of my head, you’re such a doof,” you snorted, trying to not completely break down in fits of giggles but he was so silly it was hard to stay composed. How did this go from him rushing to confess to you nearly crying with laughter because his brain wasn’t catching up to speed with the fact that you reciprocated his feelings?

“Doof?” Again he picked up on the wrong part of the sentence, focusing on the foreign word rather than the idea that he occupied your thoughts most of the time. “Wait you like me? Like like me?” He wasn’t sure he’d ever smiled so brightly, not on stage or with his friends; you really liked him back.

Tsumugi mulled on your words, suddenly it felt like he was putting together a puzzle he’d never had the bravery to acknowledge. How you always seemed to find him, how you comforted him without question, never objecting when he found vague excuses to keep you in his company. Nothing was a coincidence and it hadn’t just been his own crush that was apparent to everyone who ever saw him around you.

“Natsume-kun… knew…” Of course he did, he was observant. He hadn’t been trying to force a romance at all. “I should probably make muffins for him too.”

“Yes, we should.” Finally your embrace broke and instead you opted to lace your fingers with his; something he’d frequently wanted to do with you and now he’d be taking your hand whenever you allowed him. “So why don’t we go thank him now. I’m sure Sora would be happier to see you now too,” you lifted your joined hands to make a point, “we could tell them the good news~”

“You’re my girlfriend now?” He had to confirm, just to be completely sure this wasn’t a wind up or him seriously misinterpreting your words.

“And you’re my boyfriend.”


End file.
